The Jewish ‘Playmakers’ Behind Barbie, G.I. Joe and Mr. Potato Head

That was the light bulb moment for Ruth when she realized that the way to the mothers is buy your daughter a Barbie.

She will show your daughter how to accessorize herself and therefore she will get a man.

But Ruth was very adamant that Barbie will never get married.

She's had a million wedding dresses, but Ken is still waiting at the altar for her.

She's never taken that walk.

It's a good thing because Ken's her brother.

Hello, and welcome to Hadassah Magazine Presents, a program and podcast for those who love Hadassah Magazine and want more, and for those who have never heard of the magazine and are looking for stimulating conversations with acclaimed Jewish authors, thinkers, celebrities, and culinary stars.

I'm your host, Lisa Hosting, the executive editor of Hadassah Magazine.

I'm delighted to be in conversation today with Michael Kimmel, whose book Playmakers, the Jewish entrepreneurs who created the toy industry in America, takes a broad view of the toy world.

And Renee Rosen, who takes a deep dive into one slice of it with her Let's Call Her Barbie.

At a time of so much heaviness in the world, it is a welcome change fitting for summertime to focus on a lighter topic.

Lighter though it may be, there's much more to this discussion than the fun toys so many of us grew up with.

The two books by our guests that will inform the bulk of our discussion, both terrific reads that I highly recommend, also provide tremendous insight, not only into the evolution of the toy industry and the outsized Jewish role.

but also includes so much more about all kinds of unexpected but related topics, from the development of child psychology to the industrial growth of plastics.

And now to introduce our guests more fully.

Michael Kimmel is a SUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Gender Studies and founder of the Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities at Stony Brook University, and the author of many books, including most recently, Playmakers, the Jewish Entrepreneurs Who Created the Toy Industry in America.

Renee Rosen is a USA Today bestselling author of 10 novels, all historical fiction and women's fiction, that are inspired by iconic women, cultural movements, and moments that changed the course of American history.

In addition to her most recent book, Let's Call Her Barbie, her titles include Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl, The Social Graces, and Park Avenue Summer.

Renee lives in Chicago, where she is currently working on her next novel.

Welcome to you both.

Thank you so much for joining us today.